Abstract
Introduction: This study examined smokers’ understanding of the relative tar deliveries
of Ultra-light, Light, and Regular cigarettes, reasons for smoking Ultra-light/Light
cigarettes, and the likelihood of both quitting smoking and switching to Regular cigarettes
if they came to learn that one Ultra-light/Light cigarette gave the same amount of
tar as one Regular cigarette.
Design: Ten- to fifteen-minute random-digit-dialed, computer-assisted telephone interviews
(CATI) were conducted with both a national probability sample (n = 788) and a state
random sample (n = 266) of daily smokers over the age of 18.
Results: Less than 10% of smokers in the national sample and only 14% of smokers in
the state sample knew that one Light cigarette could give the same amount of tar as
one Regular cigarette. Less than 10% of smokers in the state sample knew that one
Ultra-light cigarette could give the same amount of tar as one Regular cigarette.
Thirty-two percent of the Light and 26% of the Ultra-light smokers in the national
sample, and 27% of Light and 25% of Ultra-light smokers in the state sample, said
they would be likely to quit smoking if they learned one Light/Ultra-light equaled
one Regular.
Conclusion: Many Light and Ultra-light smokers are smoking these cigarettes to reduce
the risks of smoking and/or as a step toward quitting. However, these smokers are
unaware that one Ultra-light/Light cigarette can give them the same amount of tar
and nicotine as one Regular cigarette. Many of the Ultra-light/Light smokers sampled
in this study stated that they would be likely to quit if they knew this information.
Mistaken beliefs about low-yield brands are reducing intentions to quit smoking.
Keywords
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© 1998 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
